Key clasp



J. P. HENRY.

KEY CLASP.

APPLlBATION FILED APR. 21. 1921.

1 ,425,089, Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE P. HENRY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO L. B. TEBBETTS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

KEY CLASP.

Application filed April 21, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, Jassn P. HENRY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Key Clasp, of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of certain automobiles, including the Ford, and Dodge, the key employed to lock the ignition switch also closes the circuit when said switch is unlocked and must, therefore, remain in the switch so long as it is desired to operate the motor. Moreover, it has become a common practice, in view of insurance policy re-,

quirements, to equip automobiles with locks adapted to connect and disconnect the steering-wheel and steering post so that the car, when left without an attendant, cannot be guided by a person attempting its theft and the construction of certain steering-wheel locks is such that the key must remain therein while the car is being operated.

This insertion of two different keys in the devices mentioned renders it inconvenient to keep such keys on the usual key-ring because of the time consumed in their removal therefrom and replacement thereon, hence such keys have heretofore usually been carried in one or another pocket of the owners clothing, occasioning a time-consuming search whenever they are required and, being unattached to a chain, are frequently With the foregoing situation in mind, the prime object of this invention is the pro vision of a simple, durable and inex ensive clasp adapted to engage the edge 0 a vest or other pocket and to frictionally grip both keys mentioned or any other keys which the owner finds it inconvenient to carry upon the usual key-ring or similar device.

In the accompanying drawing, where like numerals refer to like parts throughout, Figure 1 depicts the clasp afii'xed the breast pocket of a vest or outer coat; Figure 2 a side elevation of the clasp; Figure a front elevation with the keys secured; Flgure 4 a side elevation with the keys secured; Fi re 5 a rear elevation; and Figure 6 a si e elevation of a modified form of clasp Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

Serial No. 463,184.

with the keys secured thereby. The clasp, as actually produced, is about one-half the size shown in the drawing.

The preferred form of clasp comprises a section of spring steel which is rebent to form the jaw members 1 and 2, the latter being punched to provide a lug 3 adapted to engage the aperture 4 (Figures 3 and 5) found in the head of all flat keys.

A third jaw 5 having a lug 6 and an outwardly turned lower extremity? is secured by soldering or spot-welding to the top of said section and terminates in a clip 8 in tended to grip the edge of a pocket as shown in Figure 1.

Owing to the resilient nature of said jaws the head of keys 9 and 10 can be easily forced past lugs 3 and 6 so as to bring the latter in register with aperture 4, and it will be appreciated that while one of said keys (if part of automobile equipment) is to be removed from the clasp for insertion, let us say, in the steering-wheel lock, the other key is preferably inserted in the ignition switch with the clasp attached so that it is immediately available for use when the car is to be secured against theft.

The modification shown in Figure 6 consists in the provision of jaw members 11 and 12 corresponding, in function, to members 1 and 2 of the preferred form, but of slightly greater capacity so as to receive both of the keys which are further secured by lugs 13 and 14 projecting from the opposed surfaces of said members. The lower extremity of jaw 12 bears against the inner surface of a more or less rigid plate 15 which is secured in the manner of jaw 3, above described, and also terminates in a clip 16 intended to engage the mouth of a pocket. Said plate obviously tends to limit the expansion and increases the tension of jaw 12, and being perfectly straight and smooth makes easy the insertion of the clasp within a pocket and its removal therefrom.

Having thus fully described the purpose and construction of the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters' Patent is 1. A key clasp comprising two U shaped members, the base of one member being attached to the base of the other member and the legs of one member being disposed between the legs of the other member.

2. A key clasp as recited in claim 1,-in which one or more legs are provided with lugs for engaging an opening in a key head. 3. A key clasp comprising a U shaped member, a plate interposed between the legs of the U shaped member and affixed to the base thereof, the said plate and one of the 10 legs constituting key gripping elements, one of said elements being provided with a lug for entering an opening in a key head.

JESSE P. HENRY.

Witnesses:

W. KEANE SMALL, ALICE R. ANDERSON. 

